After considering at length the feedback given to me regarding the possibilities of my previously-posted squad ( ORS- APL / chewie - DTF, gunner / gold squad - ion Turret) I think I've come upon something better:

Outer Rim Smuggler — YT-1300 27

Gunner 5

Anti-Pursuit Lasers 2

Blue Squadron Pilot — B-Wing 22

Blue Squadron Pilot — B-Wing 22

Blue Squadron Pilot — B-Wing 22

Much more firepower and a simpler philosophy. ORS runs interference and three b wings dish out the hurt. Should have good survivability, good firepower and good adaptability. I always love ion weapons but this will have to do.

Again, this is for my very first tournament. All of the games I've played so far I think I've used a different squad so I can't really say I am comfortable with any ship more than the others.

That said, I'm fairly good at in-game strategies and flying so I'd like to run a bit of a challenging squad, but nothing too advanced.

What do you guys think?

I've been running something similar with decent success.

ORS

Blue w/ FCS x 3

I tried the Anti-Pursuit Lasers. They were nice but it's not guaranteed damage. I felt the FCS would help a bit more with damage out put on the b-wings.

Having gunner might make the two dice attack a bit better, however I'd personally rather have my three dice attack be more consistent.

Yeah. I'd agree with the FCS.

If I lose gunner I can get fcs on my b wings.

Gunner was part of the philosophy of the original build tho. ORS will be at range one without actions if I manage to use it correctly, and gunner will both greatly expand its capacity for damage and also make it a high priority target for the opponent, which will further help him in his role as blocker, as enemy ships will be moving toward him to attack.

Without gunner, I'm worried that my opponent will ignore the ORS and just target the b wings since that's where I have both the most offense (especially if they have fcs) and the least amount of defence.

All things being equal, I'd much rather hold onto a b wing or two in the late game than I would an ORS.

Maybe I should swap APL for falcon title? This would certainly improve survivability and might make the ORS a better blocker - if my opponent doesn't have to worry about taking damage from the apl, he could be more inclined to collide and lose actions.

Hmmm...

Keep in mind with an ORS (PS 1) you're moving first a majority of the time which will usually allow you to take an action. If you're using the ORS to block but bump allowing the opponent to zip past then gunner would help. You want to get into the lanes of where they will probably be going to cause them to crash into your ORS.

The list I mentioned comes in at 99pts so you do have the potential of getting to choose initiative if you want it.

I kind of like APL on ORS as a blocker. It makes your opponent either fly a very loose formation so they don't run into the ORS with multiple ships, or he has to shoot him first. Either way is a good outcome for you.

I'm not liking the Gunner on the ORS. With two attack it may be more likely to trigger but by that same measure the follow up is also more likely to miss. It may depend on how you are going to use it. If you're intent is to use the ORS as a blocker perhaps the Navigator/Intel Agent combo could serve you better as crew. You may even consider TWO Intelligence Agents to allow you to look at two of your opponent's dials. Intel Agent can be nice as your B-Wings could use BRs intelligently after getting that little bit of extra information.

Have you considered a BlockORS?
It's an ORS with APL, Intelligence Agent, and Navigator, letting you ensure that they'll ram you. It comes out to 33 points, or 34 if you take the Millennium Falcon Title

Have you considered a BlockORS?

It's an ORS with APL, Intelligence Agent, and Navigator, letting you ensure that they'll ram you. It comes out to 33 points, or 34 if you take the Millennium Falcon Title

So much cleaner than how I said it.

I'm worried the removal of gunner will simply mean the ORS is ignored and flown by as it can't really do much consistent damage. This would seem to greatly reduce its value as a blocker.

With gunner, my opponent either targets the ORS to eliminate the offensive threat, which makes the ORS a much better blocker - it's easier to block with the ship if you know the opponent will be flying straight at it, hoping to keep it in their firing arc - or they ignore it to hit the b wings behind. In which case I've got a powerful ship capable of 360 degree shooting which the opponent has just flown past - I'll be able to shoot them while they dog fight the b wings behind, setting me up for a solid late game with a full health ORS with gunner in behind their squad.

Or maybe I could switch the b wings for x wings and use the three points freed up for intelligence agent and initiative. I love the idea of Intel agent on the ORS blocker.

Thanks for the input so far. I'm close to having this thing finalized and I'll report back after the tournament

I'm worried the removal of gunner will simply mean the ORS is ignored and flown by as it can't really do much consistent damage. This would seem to greatly reduce its value as a blocker.

With gunner, my opponent either targets the ORS to eliminate the offensive threat, which makes the ORS a much better blocker - it's easier to block with the ship if you know the opponent will be flying straight at it, hoping to keep it in their firing arc - or they ignore it to hit the b wings behind. In which case I've got a powerful ship capable of 360 degree shooting which the opponent has just flown past - I'll be able to shoot them while they dog fight the b wings behind, setting me up for a solid late game with a full health ORS with gunner in behind their squad.

Or maybe I could switch the b wings for x wings and use the three points freed up for intelligence agent and initiative. I love the idea of Intel agent on the ORS blocker.

Thanks for the input so far. I'm close to having this thing finalized and I'll report back after the tournament

I keep hearing how you want the opponent to shoot the ORS instead of the B-Wings and I'm not sure I agree with you. The ORS is there stripping them of action after action, disrupting their formation, and causing havok in the mind of your opponent. The B-Wing is a heavy hitter that can take a beating. Especially since you have 3. You want them to shoot the B-Wings while the ORS makes it more difficult to actually hurt them. The last thing in this list you want dead is the ORS.

Coming from a 'What if I faced this list?' Your ORS is my primary target, gunner or not. With low dodge, and blocking abilities, I'm probably going to slow play and try to gun it down at range then fly straight into your B's to try and get into a scrap. B's without FCS or AS means any time you K-turn you won't be focused, or probably won't have a TL and your attack will probably be a write off.

So as is, you are going to get what you want, one dead ORS ASAP.

I'm worried the removal of gunner will simply mean the ORS is ignored and flown by as it can't really do much consistent damage. This would seem to greatly reduce its value as a blocker.

A Gunnered ORS is not that big of a threat. It's damage is still mediocre with a Gunner. Your foes won't be that terrified of the 2nd attack hitting.

Going with Navigator + Intelligence Agent gives you the ability to FORCE the block. You can see where they're going, and adjust your dial to match.

Altogether, the interaction between BlockORS and Victim goes thusly:

1. Select a victim at Range 1-2

   You prefer a target that relies on actions for survivability, damage, or mobility.

2. Look at their dial.

3. Adjust your dial with the Navigator to intercept

   Banks are a great way to force the first collision, and subsequent ones by turning in a zig-zag pattern will be enough to keep them locked down if you adjust the distances properly.

4. Grab an action.

   Target Lock is great, and if your opponent realizes your ORS is costing them the game, Evade if you have the title.

5. Your victim activates

   They execute their maneuver, collide, roll for damage against themselves, and lose their action.

6. Your victim attacks

   Assuming they have a shot on one of your other two ships, which is unlikely as you're controlling their movements very effectively,

   They have no offensive action, as they ran into you.

   They're shooting at Range 2-3, as your ORS is taking up more than Range 1, due to you flying at angles to maximize your blocking chances.

   They cannot shoot at your ORS even if they want to.

7. You attack.

   Your ORS is closer to the plane of combat than their ship after the first block, as you've stopped your victim from fully maneuvering.

   The more turns you have blocked a ship, the more true this is.

   You are incredibly likely to have a shot, as you have a 360* Primary Weapon.

   You still had your offensive action, which was probably a Target Lock.

   You can't shoot at your victim, but you already damaged them back in step 5. Throw a pot-shot at a victim that your other ships are attacking.

8. Repeat ad nausea.

Consider this...you generally can't block and draw fire at the same time, you do one or the other.

I would drop gunner to try and squeeze FCS on b wings. If your ORS is blocking, then he's not likely shooting. Your b's need to be the damage dealers.

I ran a list similar to this at my first local tournament.

ORS + Gunner + APL + Falcon (35)

Rookie x2 (42)

Blue (22)

I had a tremendous amount of success (losing only 3 ships total over 3 rounds of play) and won the tournament.

However, after hearing the comments from many people here, I am liking the idea of dropping gunner to get FCS on my B-wing, as well as dropping a rookie for an additional B-wing with FCS (I only have 2 B-wings or I would go with 3).

The gunner and APL were nice and happened to net me a decent bit of damage, but I think it would be much more consistent with the FCS blues instead.

You should remember that the BlockORS letting you know what an enemy is doing also help you use the B-Wings more effectively. On PS 2 ships BR is only sort of effective but when you know what an opponent is going to do it's value jumps. With that added information you may even be able to use your B-Wings as blockers against some of those crazy Interceptors who think they could jump into R1 and then move out without you doing a thing about it.

OK, based on the ships I have, what do y'all think of this?

ORS, Intelligence Agent, Navigator

Blue, FCS

Blue, FCS

Rookie Pilot

Exactly 100 points, gets me four ships. Use the ORS as described above, with the B-WIngs to do the damage. Rookie acts as secondary blocker and adds shots on the baddest enemy ship

Thanks

I know people like their systems upgrades on their B-Wings but if you plan to use the ORS as blocker then you want the APL on it. I mean it provides "free" damage against ships you couldn't otherwise attack.

I know people like their systems upgrades on their B-Wings but if you plan to use the ORS as blocker then you want the APL on it. I mean it provides "free" damage against ships you couldn't otherwise attack.

I agree. FCS is nice, but you can drop them to get APL on the BlockORS and R3F2 on the X-WIng to start stressing people.

I thought so too, so I made some changes to get the APL. Then I went a little insane, and will spend all day at work today pondering whether to take 3 buffed ships or 4 kinda vanilla.

ORS, Intelligence Agent, Navigator, APL, Falcon

Blue, FCS, Ion Cannon, Advanced Protons

Blue, FCS, Ion Cannon, Advanced Protons

-Or-

ORS, Intelligence Agent, Navigator, APL, Falcon

Blue

Blue

Rookie, R2

Although the first list packs a lot of points into each ship, the B-Wings can ion to help the blocker, get the target lock they need, and use the protons to blow away a ship each. A lot of hp, a lot of board control, and a lot of potential damage if I maneuver right. The second list adds survivability with the fourth ship, but packs less alpha punch. (i don't have a 3rd B-Wing, otherwise I would just take that instead of the rookie.)

I like them both. Since I doubt I will win tomorrow, or even hit the top four, I should go for fun, and the first one seems like more fun. Well, off to work and obsessing.

I thought so too, so I made some changes to get the APL. Then I went a little insane, and will spend all day at work today pondering whether to take 3 buffed ships or 4 kinda vanilla.

ORS, Intelligence Agent, Navigator, APL, Falcon

Blue, FCS, Ion Cannon, Advanced Protons

Blue, FCS, Ion Cannon, Advanced Protons

-Or-

ORS, Intelligence Agent, Navigator, APL, Falcon

Blue

Blue

Rookie, R2

Although the first list packs a lot of points into each ship, the B-Wings can ion to help the blocker, get the target lock they need, and use the protons to blow away a ship each. A lot of hp, a lot of board control, and a lot of potential damage if I maneuver right. The second list adds survivability with the fourth ship, but packs less alpha punch. (i don't have a 3rd B-Wing, otherwise I would just take that instead of the rookie.)

I like them both. Since I doubt I will win tomorrow, or even hit the top four, I should go for fun, and the first one seems like more fun. Well, off to work and obsessing.

I like the second list for two reasons.

1 : An X-Wing is better than any number of upgrades, and

2 : Advanced Proton Torpedoes are far too expensive for their effect.

I thought so too, so I made some changes to get the APL. Then I went a little insane, and will spend all day at work today pondering whether to take 3 buffed ships or 4 kinda vanilla.

ORS, Intelligence Agent, Navigator, APL, Falcon

Blue, FCS, Ion Cannon, Advanced Protons

Blue, FCS, Ion Cannon, Advanced Protons

-Or-

ORS, Intelligence Agent, Navigator, APL, Falcon

Blue

Blue

Rookie, R2

Although the first list packs a lot of points into each ship, the B-Wings can ion to help the blocker, get the target lock they need, and use the protons to blow away a ship each. A lot of hp, a lot of board control, and a lot of potential damage if I maneuver right. The second list adds survivability with the fourth ship, but packs less alpha punch. (i don't have a 3rd B-Wing, otherwise I would just take that instead of the rookie.)

I like them both. Since I doubt I will win tomorrow, or even hit the top four, I should go for fun, and the first one seems like more fun. Well, off to work and obsessing.

There's no question here: You take the second one.

Ok, the B-Wing in the first have more options but the X-Wing in the first squadron has NO options and you want options when it comes to shooting. Now maybe the Ion, FCS, APT combo will work wonders for you but I'll say it really want so see a specific kind of ship. With that you don't really care about block as you want to Ionize the target, get the free TL from FCS, move to where it will be next turn and Focus, then unload the APT on the target. A powerful combo but only against one ship and also one that really doesn't care so much about blocking as it does about living long enough to pull it off.

B wings and nothingness Results:

Played three games at the imdaar tournament and absolutely dominated. Didn't lose a single ship - except for the first game when just before the end of time I screwed up and dialed in the wrong direction, flying my ship off the board.

Despite doing so well the rest of the tournament, the guy who I buggered up champt took the championship and I took fourth - headhunter!

Thanks for the help I'll running it again soon.

The Headhunter is the ship is you'll want the most of anyway.